Ranking Best Trade Assets on NFL's Worst Teams After Week 7

With the 2026 NFL trade deadline fast approaching, it's the perfect time to highlight some of the top assets on the teams most likely to be sellers over the next two weeks.

Over a third of the league has two or fewer wins going into Week 8. These clubs are the most likely candidates to ship off veterans—especially those on the final year of their respective contracts—in exchange for draft picks and younger talents.

Some two-win teams do still have a glimmer of hope due to their placement in a weak division, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints both still very much alive in the NFC South. The Houston Texans aren't ready to throw in the towel either, having made the bold decision to trade for Marvin Harrison Jr. despite a slow start. These squads were left off the list.

With that in mind, let's take a ranked look (based on the expected value they would return in a trade) at the best trade assets each of the projected deadline sellers has available.

The Arizona Cardinals stunned both Los Angeles teams this season, but haven't beaten any of their other five opponents.

They are well out of contention going into Week 8, an unsurprising place for a team in Year 1 of a rebuild under a new regime to find itself.

The 2026 trade deadline represents an optimal time for Arizona to offload some aging veterans and add more picks to its arsenal.

The Cardinals re-added Lopez to their roster at the start of the offseason, but they could be ready to move on from him again by the midpoint of the 2026 campaign.

While the 29-year-old is having a decent year (21 tackles, three tackles for a loss and one sack), his age and short-term contract aren't congruent with Arizona's trajectory.

Lopez, who was a regular starter for the Cards in 2023-24, inked a modest two-year, $10.5 million contract with Arizona after spending one season with the Detroit Lions.

He's a decent trade option for any championship hopeful seeking to bolster the teeth of a defense.

Baker has been a foundational piece of the Cardinals' defense for the last decade, but the eight-time Pro Bowler could finally be on his way out of the desert after flirting with an exit several times in recent years.

Although he still looks effective as ever in his increasingly versatile role—especially as a pass-rusher, where he has already notched a career-high 3.5 sacks this season—he's on the wrong side of 30 and could be best used by this rebuilding franchise as a trade chip.

Plenty of teams will have interest in a player of Baker's caliber if he's made available.

After winning a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles two years ago, Sweat became the crown jewel of Arizona's 2025 free-agent class.

While he delivered with 12 sacks in his first year with the club, the firing of head coach Jonathan Gannon (Sweat's defensive coordinator in Philly) has had a negative impact on the edge-rusher's performance.

Given he still has two seasons left on his four-year, $76.4 million deal, has regressed to record just two sacks in seven games and doesn't have strong ties to new coach Mike LaFleur, the organization shouldn't hesitate to flip the 29-year-old for draft picks.

The Indianapolis Colts made the brash choice to run it back in 2026 with largely the same core from last year's team.

That decision has backfired spectacularly and the collapse has led to speculation that the franchise, which already fired general manager Chris Ballard, will blow things up and amass capital at the trade deadline.

Buckner is in the late stages of a fantastic NFL career, but he could finish out his third act with a different franchise.

The defensive tackle has been a force since joining the Colts in 2020, putting together two of his three Pro Bowl seasons and earning his lone first-team All-Pro nod.

Because Buckner still has plenty left in the tank—evidenced by his four sacks (matching last year's total) in seven games—he should be a popular player for rival franchises to inquire about.

The 32-year-old no longer aligns with the Colts' trajectory and is playing out the string on an expiring contract, making him one of the top trade candidates on a roster loaded with them.

Teams in the market for a premium running back should look no further than Taylor. Although his efficiency has slightly declined during this lost season, he's still at the peak of his powers.

The 27-year-old has amassed 765 yards and eight touchdowns from scrimmage, sticking out as one of the few bright spots on this downtrodden roster.

While it did seem that Taylor would be sticking around for several more seasons after agreeing to a two-year, $44 million extension just a few months ago, the rapid development of promising backup Seth McGowan could influence a pivot towards a full-blown rebuild in Indianapolis.

Multiple teams have reportedly already expressed interest in Taylor, who could return a significant package of picks and young players for his services.

Nelson is a generational guard who still has plenty left to offer NFL teams. He's more than lived up to the hype surrounding his selection at No. 6 overall in the 2018 draft, going on to make the Pro Bowl in each of his first eight seasons.

He has rarely missed time (playing in 136 games, all starts, since coming out of Notre Dame) and remains a force in the offensive trenches during an age-30 campaign.

Nelson is on an expiring contract, though, which does up the chances that Indy decides to make the once unthinkable decision to trade him.

His presence would have a transformative effect on any offensive line he joins. There are several contenders who have a clear need for a guard upgrade, making a bidding war a distinct possibility should the Colts elect to part ways with one of the greatest interior offensive linemen of the era.

After seven weeks of play to open the 2026 season, the Los Angeles Chargers stand alone as the NFL's only winless team.

It's been a head-scratching fall for a franchise that had opened the Jim Harbaugh era with back-to-back playoff berths, one that should prompt a slew of changes both leading up to the trade deadline and during the upcoming 2027 offseason.

James has consistently ranked as one of the best players on L.A.'s roster over the last eight seasons, putting the injury woes of his early career behind him and emerging as a perennial Pro Bowler. While he's a consistent force and leader for the Chargers' defense, he's also in an age-30 campaign and playing on a pricy three-year, $75.6 million extension signed this offseason.

There should be no shortage of interest in James' elite playmaking abilities. The safety has racked up 705 tackles, 19 sacks, 12 interceptions, six forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries since entering the league and should have plenty left in the tank to help a contender make multiple Super Bowl runs in the coming few seasons.

While teams don't usually ship off effective defenders who are still on their rookie contracts, the Bolts could break the mold with Tuipulotu.

Despite being just 24 years old and establishing himself as one of the league's better up-and-coming edge-rushers over the last two seasons, the door is open for a potential split.

L.A. failed to negotiate an extension with the 2023 second-rounder this summer, making it a very real possibility that Tuipulotu exits in free agency.

Rather than risk losing him in free agency for only a potential 2028 compensatory pick, the Chargers have to at least consider trading him for a premium pick at the deadline.

Mack is one of his generation's best edge-rushers, but even he hasn't been able to will Los Angeles to a victory in 2026.

Rather than waste the twilight of his esteemed career on a team trending towards the No. 1 overall pick, the Bolts should be willing to let Mack chase a ring while picking up some draft capital for their trouble.

With Mack playing on a one-year, $18 million contract, there isn't much incentive for a Chargers team on the cusp of a full-blown rebuild to retain the 35-year-old.

Shipping him off while his value remains high (Mack has a trio of sacks in six games) would benefit both sides here.

Predicting Five Potential Shocking Trades 😲

The Miami Dolphins finally got into the win column in Week 7, but that victory isn't close to enough to convince anyone this team should be anything more than sellers at the trade deadline.

The 'Phins should be stockpiling capital with an eye towards a loaded 2027 NFL draft class.

Teams are always looking to reinforce the offensive trenches at this time of year and 2026 shouldn't be any different. While Jackson is having a rough go of things in Miami (rating as Pro Football Focus ' lowest-graded offensive tackle), a change of scenery could rejuvenate the veteran.

Jackson has a first-round pedigree and is playing out the final year of his contract. His recent form and injury history are concerning, but teams looking for an experienced option at the tackle position won't find much better on the trade market.

Uche is a mildly productive edge rusher who could be far more valuable in a Super Bowl contender's pass-rushing rotation than starting for the struggling 'Phins. He's recorded 25 tackles and a sack on the year, but at the age of 28 and playing on a one-year deal, there isn't much reason for Miami to keep him around.

Uche's best campaign came in 2022, a year he totaled 11.5 sacks for the New England Patriots. He hasn't eclipsed three sacks in a season since, but contenders could gamble a late-round draft pick on that ceiling.

Brooks is the most valuable trade chip the Dolphins have right now. He's under contract through the 2029 season after signing a three-year, $48 million extension this offseason—a reasonable price for an elite off-ball linebacker still in his prime.

Brooks has racked up 52 tackles this season. While it's off the pace from his league-leading 183-tackle campaign in 2025, it's still an impressive contribution given Miami's inadequacy at several other key defensive positions. He could slot in and start for plenty of Lombardi Trophy hopefuls and could command a Day 2 pick for those services.

It's time for the Philadelphia Eagles to prioritize the future.

Their outlook worsened when news emerged that star quarterback Jalen Hurts is expected to miss the rest of the season after being diagnosed with blood clots in his lungs.

Philadelphia is now 2-5 after five consecutive losses. Even if a division title remains within reach, the Eagles should consider selling at the trade deadline.

The acquisition of Woolen was a gamble that didn't pay off for the Eagles.

Coming off a Super Bowl victory with the Seattle Seahawks, he earned a one-year, $12 million contract in free agency. He's since regressed to the worst version of himself, conceding a career-high 13.6 yards per attempt in coverage and giving up two touchdowns in just six games.

Despite the downturn, Woolen is still an athletic, skilled 6'4" cornerback with championship experience. He'll have opportunities to turn things around elsewhere, potentially as early as this coming week if the Eagles opt to trade him.

Ojomo should be one of the year's more coveted trade candidates. Despite playing along one of the league's more talented defensive lines, the 25-year-old blossomed last year—recording the first six sacks of his career to go along with 38 tackles.

With Philly unlikely to be able to afford keeping a backup defensive tackle at the price Ojomo is expected to command on the open market, it makes sense to flip him for picks.

Plenty of aspiring champions could use a versatile, talented 6'3", 292-pound tackle to shore up the defensive trenches.

Just over a year ago, it would have been unthinkable for the Eagles to consider moving on from Saquon Barkley.

The star running back rejuvenated his career after landing with the club in 2024, racking up more than 2,000 yards on the ground and powering the club to a Super Bowl victory.

A trade now seems far more possible, as a slight regression—coupled with an increase in contract value and some injury woes—has opened the door for a breakup.

The Eagles shouldn't rush to trade Barkley (who still has two more seasons left on his current deal), but a strong offer from a team that feels it is a feature back away from winning it all could convince management it's the right time to part ways.

Despite getting off the schneid in Week 6, the Tennessee Titans wasted no time stumbling again in a Week 7 loss.

With their status as a non-contender secure, expect the Titans to host a fire sale leading up to the trade deadline.

Johnson is one of Tennessee's newest players, having only joined in March after the club flipped T'Vondre Sweat to the New York Jets for his services.

The edge-rusher could be on the move for the second time in just over half of a year, as his blend of steady production and age makes him a tantalizing asset for Super Bowl candidates.

While Johnson is on the last year of his rookie deal—playing the 2026 campaign on the $13.4 million fifth-year option Gang Green exercised on his contract—he should still command a decent return as teams look to not only rent him for a playoff run but also see if he fits in their system ahead of his first free-agency foray.

Hooker is a solid trade target for any team seeking an experienced safety to round out their secondary. He's proven to be dependable across his seven-plus NFL seasons, starting 73 games in that span while recording 462 tackles, 42 pass defenses and 14 interceptions.

While Hooker isn't a Pro Bowl-caliber talent, he's the type of quality starter championship squads can lean on to stabilize a defense. He's also under contract through the 2028 campaign at an average of $13.5 million per year, providing extended team control to whichever club winds up with him at the deadline.

Simmons should be the most popular trade target on a Tennessee roster chock-full of candidates. He's one of the better interior defensive linemen in the league right now, having earned Pro Bowl nods in four of the past five seasons and emerging as an All-Pro in 2025.

With the ability to both shut down the run and create pressure from his defensive tackle position, Simmons is the type of do-it-all centerpiece that a team can build its front around. He's averaged nearly 52 tackles and six sacks per season over his seven-plus years in the league, achieving a career-high of 11 sacks to go along with an impressive 67 tackles in 2025.

Expect Simmons, who is under contract through 2030 after signing a three-year, $105.8 million extension in June, to net the Titans a hefty return on the trade market. A first-round pick plus potentially more could be coming Tennessee's way if brass elects to deal him at the deadline.

The Washington Commanders went into their Week 7 bye on the heels of yet another disheartening loss.

By dropping to 1-4-1 and losing star wideout Terry McLaurin in the same contest, this long-suffering franchise is well on its way to yet another disappointing campaign.

Sweeping changes are needed to turn things around, a process that could begin in earnest at the deadline.

Chaisson has one defining trait that makes him an asset at the NFL level: the ability to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

While his run defense is lacking, he will still be on the radar of many contending franchises thanks to his penchant for disruption in the backfield.

The 27-year-old has played for four different franchises over the past four seasons and could join a fifth if the right offer comes along. He has 2.5 sacks in six games and could bolster the edge-rushing rotation of several contenders.

A one-year, $11.5 million deal gives little incentive for Washington to retain Chaisson for the remainder of this lost season.

Robertson has been one of the few bright spots for Washington's defense this year, delivering better-than-expected results on the two-year deal he signed as a free agent.

He's proved himself to be a versatile corner who can play multiple positions in the secondary, an asset that will make him a popular trade candidate leading up to the deadline.

Payne has been a key part of Washington's defensive efforts for the better part of the last decade, but he's on an expiring contract and is far from guaranteed to return in 2027.

Because he's still playing at a high level—recording a solid 17 pressures and a sack in six games—he should draw a lot of interest from contending squads seeking to beef up in the defensive trenches.

While Payne has struggled to put up big numbers before and after his lone Pro Bowl season in 2022 (a campaign in which he recorded a career-best 11.5 sacks), he's consistently made his presence felt via pressure on the passer and run-stuffing at the line of scrimmage.

Washington shouldn't have much trouble getting a decent pick or promising young player in return for Payne.